Eloy - Ra

I only have this battered old tape to represent the prolific German prog band in my collection. I assume it isn't one of their better efforts. Opening with tweeting birds, New-Agey keyboards, and a robotic female voice intoning banal guff about how we've "finally found the key to eternal life", it doesn't get much better as it goes along. It's blusteringly pompous, with fat guitars and big choruses, but the wash of digital drums and keyboard give the album a soulless, synthetic sound. The third rate sci-fi lyrics don't help. There are one or two hummable tunes, including the blaringly mechanical chorus of "Sensations". But generally the songwriting is barely up to the standard of 80's action movies. Give me "Eye of the Tiger" or "The Final Countdown" any day!

September 22, 2004

3 out of 10

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